Elders and disabled people are some of the most vulnerable populations when it comes to the spread of coronavirus. Furthermore, the virus is able to spread quickly to those living in long term care facilities due to the shared spaces and abundance of people including residents, employees, and visitors.
In order to hopefully reduce the spread of COVID-19, many California care facilities have decided to restrict visitation. While federal and state law mandates that nursing facilities have a right to accept visitors, reducing our interpersonal contact as much as possible is crucial to preventing the spread of the virus to our most susceptible groups. Visitors that exhibit signs or symptoms of the virus or have recently been exposed to it in some way will have restricted access to visitation. Additionally, visitors may be required to use protective equipment or meet in specific sanitized rooms.
To view the guidelines issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, visit
https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-20-14-nh-revised.pdf. There you will find the full list of restrictions, exceptions, and additional guidance about limiting the spread of the virus. If you still have questions, a list of CDC and CMS resources is provided at the end of the document.
These new regulations are not meant to discourage family members from visiting residents of care facilities. In fact, visitation is an important contributor to the mental and physical wellbeing of the residents. But in light of this uncertain and continuously developing situation, making sure that our elders are protected from the spread of Coronavirus is of the utmost importance. We must support each other during times of crisis, and there should be a commitment to preserving the health of those who need it the most.
If you have questions about visiting loved ones at nursing homes during this restrictive time or preparing Health Care Directives, please contact Ivette M. Santaella at Santaella Legal Group, APC. We serve San Ramon, Danville, Dublin and the tri-valley areas’ estate planning and elder law needs.